Middle East: What Can Cinema Do will present its 5th edition at its traditional location in Paris, the cinema theatre Les 3 Luxembourg, from November 30 - December 13, 2011.

The call for entries is now open. Calling all short, mid-length and feature films, documentary or fiction. Calling all films presenting an interest in the ever-changing Middle East region, to include Egypt this year.

Middle East: What Can Cinema Do became a 12-day event in 2009, marked by a keynote film and debate each night exploring conflicts and the daily life in the Middle East region.

Last festival debate themes focused on Jerusalem, Gaza, Women, but also the war in Iraq and its effects on the people. A day was devoted to Lebanon, another to Iran. We also continued our look at Colonialization and Exile.

Leila Shahid, Dominique Vidal & Michel Warschawski were once again the festival's special guests at opening night, with the avant premiere screening of Ajami, awarded the Camera d'Or Special Mention at Cannes, directed conjointly by an Israeli and Palestinian filmmaker.

The success in bringing together a varied, activist, regular or just curious crowd to see films and be part of the daily conferences has contributed to the growing importance of this Parisian biennale event. It has also addressed the growing need to confront and discuss these issues on a regular basis. Cinema is very much an important vehicle of communication.

In the words of Janine Halbreich-Euvrard, founder of the event (and author of the book "Israéliens, Palestiniens : Que peut le cinéma ?"), "Cinema can most certainly help to tumble down walls, be they made of steel or of prejudice and ignorance."

See you end of November for the start of the 5th edition.

Item posted : 12-11-2009

Opening Film - Ajami

Once again the festival is expecting a full house for the premiere showing of Ajami, a film that won five awards from the Israeli Film Academy, and for the presence of our very devoted guests: Leila Shahid, Dominique Vidal and Michel Warschawski.

We close the festival with a film that bears witness to the unrest among the young people of Iran, with its focus on the underground music scene in Tehran, No One Knows About Persian Cats by Bahman Ghobadi.

50 films during 12 days are programmed for the 4th edition. Documentaries are in the majority, but more fiction is being presented than ever before including four "premieres". Two-thirds of the films are feature or TV length films, complemented by another fifteen short films. Here follows a country by country glimpse at the film program.